A Pamper Yourself Giveaway by Penelope

Penelope is having her one year blogaversary soon and is having a special giveaway to celebrate. While I'm a relatively new follower of Penelope's, I really enjoy her blog and am glad to get in on this giveaway. I'd love to check out the Invisbelt and the other pampering products she's put up. So go ahead and check out this amazing giveaway at Penelope's Oasis. It's open to US and Canada. Thank you Penelope!

An Award Day

I received a lovely blog award from Momma Such over at Raising My 4 Sons. Thank you so much for the lovely award. Please go and check out her site. Her photos are gorgeous and as you can imagine with 4 boys her life is busy, busy, busy. It's nice to remind myself that I only have one boy. *L*



The Rules of the Award are that you have to thank the giver with a mention and link on your post and then nominate 15 other newly discovered blogs. Wow. 15 huh. Of course you must contact those bloggers to let em you know you've given them the award.



I don't think I have 15 but I do have a few I'd like to pass the award on to and that would be...



Eat at Home

The Project Girl

Penelope's Oasis (she has a giveaway going on right now BTW)



and that is it for new blogs recently on my "hit" list.

What I would do though is challenge you all to take a look at my blog list and pick at least one that you've never been to before and check it out. You never know, you might just make a new bloggy friend!

P.S. Re Awards. If you had given me an award in the past and I never posted it, please forgive me. Some times I just don't have the energy to do all the work that blog awards take.

I'm Just a Rambling Rose

That title just popped into my head because there is no specific theme today and I intend to just ramble on a little with several updates.

What else do you do when an odd phrase pops into your head? You wiki it. Here's what I found out... Rambling Rose is a popular theme and title of several songs sung by the likes of Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and even the Beatles. I knew it was familiar.

Anyways on to the updates.

Root Canal - It went surprisingly well. I felt very little discomfort once the freezing wore off. However, the next stage is in September and apparently takes an 1 1/2 so I don't think I will be so lucky. They do it in two stages to give me a chance to fight the infection first.

House - we finally had enough and decided to cancel our listing with our agent. We have only shown the house 2 x since the deal fell through. The very next day we get a call about a showing from his office for Friday. We say yes. He immediately phones us and says no we can't show the house we have no contract. Sigh. So we agree to postpone the cancellation until after the Friday showing to give it that one more chance. Murphy's law right? We have been trying to cancel this guy for 2 weeks. The last time it was because he had interested buyers that were waiting for their subjects tos to be removed. Well the deal fell through for them so they won't come and see the house. Fudgecicle.

My FIL has prostrate cancer and is set for surgery in early September. So timing was critical. Now I can't see us being able to sell and move before that happens. Too much stress. All around. Sigh.

We are in the middle of a heat wave. We never get this hot in B.C. but it's been non stop for the past week. My store does not have air conditioning so it's sweatsville. No wonder customers can barely stand to come in. It's to the point that we end up bringing the kids inside and setting up a movie cause it's just too hot outside. Hopefully this will break soon. I know what to do.. schedule a camping trip. That is a surefire way to guarantee rain. right? Cause we need it. We had a recent thunder and lightning store which started all sorts of forest fires. Scary stuff, forest fires.

Only 2 weeks to my brother's 40th birthday. I have no idea what to get him. Usually we don't do much for presents or rather he doesn't do much for us for presents *LOL*

Anyways that's my main updates for today. I hope you all have a marvelous Thursday. I will be cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Sigh. ;)

Wordless Wednesday - Quiet Contemplation

For those who don't think my children ever sit still. ;)

A Tea Party

One of the things I love best about having girls is all the girly things I get to do. You may recall that I seemed a little bummed out at E's school chum party because it was coed and we could not do a princess theme. Well, as E's official birthday was this weekend, I got to make up for that by having a tea party for E, J and their cousin B.

It was a lovely little affair and surprisingly simple to throw. We didn't need a lot of fancy things since I had a lot of it in my china cabinet already. Ever since E was born I have been waiting for her to get big enough to actually break out the

real china cups from my china cabinet and have a bona fide tea party.

You see when I was growing up my mother had a china cabinet and she had her own special tea cups. Now my mother may have played tea party with me when I was small but considering she had to work lots, I don't think so, not so that I remember. So those fragile, colourful and pretty china tea cups were off limits. Oh how I'd stare in the cabinet and long to drink tea out of them. When I was a little older I used to pick my favourite flowered tea cup, have tea in it, clean it and sneak it back before my mom got home. Fortunately, I was very careful and lucky in not having ever broken a cup or gotten caught.

So since I love china tea cups, I figured I'd create some lovely memories with my daughters so they don't have to sneak. Now in my collection I have 3 tea cups that were my grandmother's so I have to be careful not to let the kids use them. They actually were used at my grandmother's wedding reception 55 years ago. Amazing.

Like I said, tea parties are easy to do. I was a little worried that I wasn't going to be able to make it look nice because I didn't have lots of stuff or even a lacy tablecloth. Well, I found some pretty material I bought a few months ago at the Sally Ann and used that as the table cloth, then I used some fake flowers to decorate the table etc and it turned out real pretty.

And as far as tea party food goes, crust less jam sandwiches, cucumbers, mini scones and cookies etc in dainty portions were a big hit. Then after we cleared the table, we made pearl bead bracelets and then a pretty foam dress craft. I glued a magnet to the back of them and voila they each have a pretty fridge magnet.

I even used some colourful fluffy yarn and crocheted a row around some wire and made the girls each their own fairy garland crown.

Then hubby dredged up memories from his old serving days and managed to get the pretty pink napkins to fan out on their plates.

All in all, I think it turned out well and the girls seemed very happy. J was even telling daddy at bedtime that she hopes mommy does a pretty tea party for her birthday. So I guess the party was a hit.

Happy Sixth Birthday Sweetie!

Children are Forgiving

I was talking to my mother the other day wherein she was telling me how it was going with my brother, supposedly retired father and nephew were getting on at working together in my brother's construction business. When my 15 year old nephew was taxed with whether he'd rather work with Papa or his dad, he hesitated and then said his dad. My dad, his papa, you see is a somewhat gruff and exacting man, easily frustrated when he thinks you are not listening to him or following his instructions and gets seriously annoyed if he thinks you are being disrespectful to him. Which, he's old school European, it's very easy to do.

It made me sad to think that my dad's gruff nature would alienate his grandchildren. After all, papa's bark was worse than his bite. I mentioned this to my mom and she told me that my nephew is not going to remember or focus on the negative, that what he is going to remember about his Papa is working in the work shop or b-sing over go-karts, motorbikes and engines.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was right. After all, I grew up with my dad and I knew under his gruff nature beat the heart of a marshmallow. That my dad is the rock of our home. That even though it seemed like he didn't want us underfoot, he had a strict children must play outside in all possible decent weather policy and would shoo us away, he never hesitated to take us with him when he went places. He was the one that would encourage me to spread my wings and follow my dreams. He was the one that was there in the drop of the hat to help me fix things or helped in my countless moves. I once moved 2 x in one year. So what that he was very strict about my curfew and got seriously offended one year when I bought him a "Stupid things my dad says to me", at my mother's urging, I might add. It still makes me laugh to remember how pissed he got over that stupid book. Cause he gets all quiet and frowning like. He didn't like me to wear make up and referred to any boy I dated as "that boy". Once he told me that my lipstick was like what hooker's wore. I was offended and told my mom that dad told me I looked like a hooker. He was offended said no, he didn't say that. I, in my teen wisdom, insisted that it was the same thing. *L*

Okay you get the picture. Point is although I remember some of the bad, I remember mostly the good and I don't think any of the negative stuff really affected me.

So it made me feel better to realize this. Sometimes, the day just goes so badly and I'm so "off" that I think..."what are we doing to the kids?". It's nice to realize that my children will forgive me the bad stuff if I make sure to throw in a lot of the good stuff. Just so long as I ensure to make good memories for them, hug them, kiss them, snuggle them and reassure that I do love them no matter what.

Let's face it, we've all had that "bad mommy moment" multiple times. I feel a little better knowing that those moments are not going to overshadow the good. Don't you?

Bras - A Rant

Bras, much like men we can't live with them and we can't live without them. Not unless you happen to be ahem small shall we say in that department. Others, more endowed women like myself, have oft wanted to go without only to find the sensation of our droopy breasts too unpleasant for words. Why even a quick jog up the stairs has us holding our chests and reaching for our bras.

Breasts define us as women, do they not? Man and woman alike have been fascinated since time beginning by these soft lumps of flesh and tissue that so graciously endow a woman's chest. Not just for show, they also serve a useful purpose. Why... they give our clothes so much more shape, they make a perfect pillow for little heads (and big ones too), they nourish babies, they make perfect play toys for the kiddies. They even have mesmerizing capabilities. Why else do men's glances so frequently aim in their direction?

Which brings us to bras. Breasts need to be reigned in and not just for gravitational reasons alone. Why bras can seriously enhance the beauty of our breasts, provide us with some much needed feelings of femininity and tease our husbands or lovers or both (hah). I have also heard that wearing bras religiously, like 24/7, can help prevent the dreaded sag.

Bras come in all shapes and sizes. You have heard that what 80 percent or so women are actually wearing the wrong bra size. It's true. Oprah said so. ;) I am not surprised.

So why do bras have to be so damn expensive? Oh all you ' b' cup and small 'c' cup girls, go away. You can buy any old bra off the $10.00 rack, darn you. Those of us who are a little bigger must seek higher and while I am not so big I can actually find bras in my size (unlike my SIL who is an 'h' an 'H')who wants to pay the prices.

I finally found a bra at Wal-Mart in the Just My Size brand. Love it. Great bra. Problem is, I only have one of those and about 10 others that fit like crap. Too tight, not right cup size, too big even. Bras, like jeans, must be worn for a day or so to see if it's a great fit or not. I have bought too many bras that seem great but after 2 hours I want to yank the darn thing off and huck it in to the bin.

We have no money to buy more bras. So a few months ago I'm looking on Ebay for my perfect bra style, hoping I could find some on there reasonable cheap... after all, I sold my fertility monitor on Ebay (you see how serious I am about not having any more kids) and have some funds sitting in paypal. I measure myself by the book to make sure I'm buying the right size etc.

This is where my ebay story comes in from yesterday's WW. You see a lot of you hoped that I'd get my money back, leave bad feedback etc. Well, no, I didn't.

I couldn't find the bra I wanted but I found this other lot and bonus it had like 5 bras in snazzy colours for only $40.00. So that works out to less than $5.00 a bra. I was immediately disappointed when I got them, I could tell the quality in sewing wasn't all there and the very first bra I put on almost immediately popped the wire. As I said, I didn't complain because duh look at the price. It should have been obvious to me from the price that they were going to be poor quality. Since then I have worn them and most have held out for a couple of months and I think there is only one that hasn't popped to date. The worst part of it is that they fit great for like half an hour. I get great cleavage, lift etc but then I start to pop over. They don't stay in that perfect position for very long and no matter how much adjusting and jiggling I do on the cup, they just don't sit right anymore. We have muffin top jeans and muffin top bras. Nothing sexier than looking a lumpy boobs through a t-shirt. sigh So, I didn't complain but I didn't leave any feedback at all either. (I'm a wuss, I'll admit it)

I also didn't want to admit to my husband that I wasn't happy with the bras. After all money is tight and he let me buy them (this was back in February, I think). I didn't want to disappoint him.

Now even my favourite bra, just finally started to pop a wire but to be fair to it, I've had it for quite some time and have been wearing it almost exclusively. Unfortunately it's black, so I've been wearing a lot of dark shirts. *L* Plus I am really hard on my bras, I don't wash by hand nor do I wash in one of those special little lingerie sacks. (A) I don't have the time and (b) I can never find the darn thing.

You're saying, why don't I just fix the bras. Well, I could do that. In fact, I have done that. Have you ever noticed though that once a bra has popped no matter how tight you sew it back up, it always will pop in the same place and often within a hour of being sewed up? Yup.

So the best thing for me to do is to go down to my local lingerie store, bare all and get properly measured and buy new bras. Only they are so expensive. Who wants to pay $40, $50 and even $100.00 a bra. Not me. I think the $22.00 walmart special is expensive enough and that is not even in my budget at the moment. But do they have bra fitters at Walmart? I think not. Cause I'd like to have at the bare minimum 7 bras. Just case I don't get laundry done. One a day. Is that so unreasonable?

How on earth could bras be so expensive? Are they made with platinum? Even the most expensive lace, let's say it was $100.00 a metre, for the wee bits of scrap that goes into bras, you are talking 1/8 of a metre max. So why the hefty price tag? For the name? For the perfect fit? For what? I'd like to know. Seriously! Because all bras are not created equal.

Just because I get sized and know my "ideal" size doesn't mean I will have any better luck buying bras than before. Oh sure, I may find it somewhat easier in that I can go directly to that size but bra sizes, like all sizing issues in women's clothing, do not fit the same. Some bands are elastic and give too much stretch. Some bands have no resistance at all. So while it might be the right size, it starts to dig in and drives you crazy. Some lace is softer than others, other lace scratches. Straps come in thin, medium and thick and some with lovely silicone beads to help prevent them from slipping off. Never mind the dreaded front snap bras vs the back closure. Well endowed girls should never wear front snap bras. They may just snap at the most inopportune moment. Like gym class in grade 9. Talk about awkward.

So anyone out there want to send me some bra samples to try out for you, I am completely game. Because these girls are in serious need of some help. I'd jump on the whole bra burning bandwagon, but let's face it... it's just not that pretty.... or comfortable. Did I mention the sweat? You know that pools beneath your breasts. Pooling. Just think about it.

Do you have a bra story you want to share with me? C'mon, I know you've got at least one.

Wordless Wednesday - Bras

Why you shouldn't buy bras on Ebay.

I'm feeling a rant coming on. ;)

Recipe Tuesday - Raspberry Coconut Tarts

I am very pleased with this week's recipe. Not only is it quick and easy to make, it's delicious too.

What you will need:

3/4 cup of Fresh Raspberries

3 TBS Coconut if using large flakes 4 or 5 of if using fine flakes

2 TBS margarine at room temperature

2 TBS white sugar

1 Egg white

10 Pre Made Tart Shells.

Pre made tart shells have got to be the best thing going. You can usually buy these in bulk at your local grocer, don't waste your money on those small packs in the freezer section. Any grocer with a decent bakery in store will have these tart shells in bulk. They come in a pack of around 30 or so and either sweetened or unsweetened. I prefer sweetened.

To make:

Take tart shells out and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. I don't like doughy crust so I usually like to pre-bake my shells for at least about 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

In a bowl mix your coconut, margarine and egg white. Whisking is sufficient until well blended. It looks yucky but trust me, it all works out.

Place your berries, whole, in the tart shells.

Doesn't it look pretty already?

Then spoon a teaspoon at a time of the egg white mixture over the berries in the shells. I basically use a teaspoon dollop on every tart and then go back

and add more if there is any left over. Spread the mixture over the berries so it covers most of it.

Bake in the oven (at 350) for 10 minutes. You will know it's done because the coconut will start to brown slightly.

et Voila. Let cool and serve. You can add whip cream or a scoop of ice cream to this dessert but my husband assures me that it's not needed.

And remember the kids not liking the coconut thing.. well 2 out of 3 kids ate it without batting an eyelash. The third, picked the coconut off and then ate it. They are that yummy.

No fresh berries? Use jam instead. A teaspoon of jam in each tart shell and then cover with egg white mix, bake for 10 minutes. It's delicious. Can work for any berries.

So there you have it. Bon Appetit!

Wow, he needs sleep too!

You know how grumpy I get when I don't get enough sleep? Well I realized that my husband needs his sleep too.

I know it should be obvious right? But I get so caught up with what's going on with me I don't necessarily stop and think what may be affecting him. After all, I am the one that gets up in the night. He may wake up but he doesn't usually get up unless I am so absolutely passed out from exhaustion that I don't hear the kids. His reasoning is that when he's awake, he's awake and can't get back to sleep.

So imagine my frustration when I am lying in bed in at 7:00 a.m. and listening to K swear at the kids. Not literally at them but around them, swearing while he's changing a poopy bum, swearing because the dishwasher rack is stuck from a cup. I'm thinking I should be the one to be annoyed, I had to get up with O in the middle of the night and I'm still tired. But I can't sleep cause it's driving me crazy that he's been frustrated and annoyed with the kids over EVERYTHING. Which I get annoyed over little things too so it's hard to point the finger and I have these little arguments with myself making it impossible to ignore what's going on in the living room.

So I end up getting up and trying to take some of the work off him so he can try and get his groove back. Only it doesn't work. We all end up snapping and griping at each other for most of the day then I get resentful. Then what galls me even more is it's my fault because man like he can't remember what started it all, he just knows that at the moment his wife is being a b@#$*. And when it gets like that it takes all our superhuman strength to suck up some maturity and GET OVER IT. arrrrgh

But this morning the kids let us sleep in till almost 8:30. My husband gets up to get the kids their morning drinks, turn on their show. O is sopping wet, he coaxes him to come to him so he can change him etc.. No impatient attitude no swearing. I literally sat up in bed and stared at my husband. There he was, the patient, understanding man I've loved this ten years.

That's when the realization hit me. He needs his sleep too!

We've been burning the midnight oil too late this past week and that seriously needs to stop if we are going to be the best parents we can be for these children of ours. Is it really worth staying up late (we really enjoy our kid free time) if we make the rest of the time miserable for all around us because we are grumpy? Not really. It's a matter of putting it all in perspective.

BTW have you noticed that the kids only let you sleep in on days you have to work? Thus making you late for said work? Cause with children after all who needs alarm clocks?

Kids, You Gotta Love em, right?

So my computer seems to be working fine. So far. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Who knows if something will surface but I am kind of hoping that if it hasn't so far it won't. I'm just glad to have my laptop back.

That brings me to my ponderation for the day. Does it get easier by the time you have three? Perhaps a mom who has had more children than me knows. We are finding O somewhat easier in some areas and more difficult in others.

O was a dream baby up until 17 months or so. When he was a baby we could put him down at 7:00 p.m. with the girls and they all slept. Sure I had to get up and feed during the night but we had a relatively kid free evenings. Then of course, the separation anxiety thing kicked in and all hell broke loose for a couple of months.

Yet O seems to listen more. You put him on a time out (yes I time out my 2 year old), he might try and wiggle off the chair but a quick word has him sitting back on it pretty quick. The kicker is when he is done his time out he will then go and do what he's supposed to do.. apologize, pick up his toys whatever without a screaming fit and several repeats of the time out. Unlike the other two who still will to this day pitch a fit the minute I say time out. K and I are astounded and, of course, thrilled that the time outs seems to work for him.

Is it because he's the third? You know with the first you're just basically crashing around trying to figure out this whole parenting thing when to discipline, how much to let them get away with before you stop them etc. The second child things were a little easier especially since J didn't suffer from "first child syndrome". Oh it's a bonafide syndrome alright. I've talked to dozens of moms who's firstborns exhibit the same behaviour.

Or is it a complete fluke of personality? I don't know.

Then sometimes you wonder if you are winning the battle at all.

Take this morning. We know (me and K) from past history that O won't eat toast for breakfast although he repeatedly asks for it, he just smushes it up and leaves it on his plate. He will happily eat our breakfast though. Go figure. So I told him no toast even though his sisters are eating it. I'm sick of throwing it out on the off chance he "might" eat it. So I made him cereal and even threw in some fresh raspberries, something I know he likes. He eats one bite and then says he "no likes" and takes off. Fine. I'm going to make a stand with him. Something we've had to do with J. I should mention we never had this issue with E, she's a voracious eater.

Of course, corn flakes gets mushy when it sits in milk for any length of time. Sure enough though he comes to me.. "I eat", so I put the bowl on the table and tell him to eat his cereal. Of course, he's not happy about it but I turn my back and finish cleaning the kitchen. He starts to eat even though he's telling me "i no like". Finished he comes to me all done.

But before I can get to patting myself on the back that I've just won a small victory, I go to clean him up. He has smushy cornflakes all over both hands, his face, his shirt, his legs, his feet, the table, the chair etc. Oh, he's eaten it alright. He just made one hell of a mess.

So I guess it's Mom 1 O 1

Post called on account of Rain?

Oh, I am not talking about the weather. It's actually quite nice here lately. What I am talking about is the fact that my son likes to play with balls... in the house. What I am talking about is the fact that if I had gotten up off my arse at the first ball throwing incident instead of uselessly telling my son not to throw the ball in the house things might have turned out different. Then again... probably not ... knowing my son.

Yesterday morning I was sitting at the kitchen table as usual checking my email. My son comes running into the kitchen and hucks a tennis ball at the toaster on the counter. I don't think he was actually aiming for the toaster but who knows what's going on in the brain of a 2 year old. Ball bounces off, I tell him not to throw the ball in the house. He runs off. This is where I should have gotten up and confiscated the ball and tossed it outside and the 2 year old with it.

Instead, I commence reading and posting more comments. Five minutes later my son, egged on by his sister no doubt, comes running into the kitchen and again tosses the ball at the toaster. This time the ball bounces off the counter, onto the kitchen table, up against the wall where it bounces back onto the table and with one more bounce smack into my water glass which promptly fell over spilling the contents over the keyboard of my laptop.

Looking back I am sure I could have done something to have stopped that ball but it was like one of those frozen moments in time where you look at the action going on in horror and react with a noooooooooo only... IT's. TOO. LATE.

Of course, I promptly tipped my keyboard upside down and chased my son down, tossed said ball of destruction out the door and read him the riot act. Okay, I may have spanked. I know, I know spanking is bad but I'm being honest here. (don't shoot me).

I call my husband in tears after I had the forethought to actually unplug and turn the laptop off. He asked... "Did it go poof, like sparks and smokes?" Me: "Um no." He: "That's a good sign then."

So we are drying it out. I had to wait until tonight at work before I could even check my email. I've totally been on Internet withdrawal all day. I had 73 emails. 73. Well, 95% was spam. I wasn't able to frequently purge all the junk out of my mail box all day so I had to deal with it all at once. Yeah, I know, I like to whine.

Meanwhile the prognosis is optimistic. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Beware the ball.

Wordless Wednesday - Cheeky E

E's is 4 here and I should say this picture is completely indicative of her personality.

For more Wordless Wednesday's Check out here

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

K did not get a phone call from the realtor asking to show the house in half an hour.

I was not out shopping by myself. I was not kidless for the first time in ages (except when I go to work). I did not forget to take my cell phone. I did not spend half an hour in the 2nd hand book shop picking out books to escape reality in when I should have been heading home.

I did not come home to see my husband frantically cleaning the windows. I did not think, how sweet he decided to surprise me by cleaning. I did not come in to find him and the kids going absolutely crazy trying to tidy up.

I did not clap my hands and jump up and down in excitement when I heard that he had to clean the house... by himself. I did not gloat gleefully in the fact that for once it was him who had to clean the house and manage 3 kids on short notice for a change.

I am not that petty or small. I'm not.... really.

I am Not a Yummy Mummy

Originally posted May 12, 2008. It's still true today. Sigh ;)

I am not a yummy mummy. It has been agreed to with out any argument at all by my husband that I am not a yummy mummy. hey, it was okay when I was saying it. His part (did you forget honey?) was to contradict me and tell me how wonderful I look.

His defence in all that was that it takes money to be a yummy mummy. You know, that green stuff that buys clothes and pays for manicures etc.

I mentioned it to my mom and she, never having heard of the phrase yummy mummy, was inclined to disagree. You don't need money to dress right, you have to have a knack with clothes, putting the right outfits together etc. You know, something I apparently don't have.

So what does it take to be a yummy mummy? I am inclined to think a little both. You need to have some money and you need to have the knack to pull a look together. Throw in there a dash of confidence to pull it all off.

Even the best of those people who make you look like a Diva on a dime could go through my closet and pull out several "WoW" outfits. What do you do with a mom who has more t-shirts than blouses in her closet cause their cheap so who cares if they stain. While the rest of the clothes are somewhere between 2 sizes to small or at least one size to big (not including maternity). I'm tired of my clothes not fitting. I'm tired going to the store and buying one outfit (cause, hey who can afford an entire wardrobe at once?) only to want to wear it every day cause I love it so much and feel that great in it. Why is it always that after a month or two the same outfit suddenly loses it's shine and I no longer think it looks so hot on me?

I'm tired of trying on jeans only to find out when I get home that they don't fit afterall. How can you really judge the fit of your clothes standing in a dressing room? I have at least three pairs of jeans in my closet that I thought fit only to find after wearing them several hours that they've stretched and are now slipping off my hips. Damn stretch jeans. I hate non-stretch now because they are just not as comfortable but with stretch denim I can't seem to get the right fit. It's a bad sign when you can pull your pants up and down without have to unzip. Or is it a sign of a woman with loose morals? HAH.

So I need money and lots of it. I'd love for someone to nominate me for that What Not to Wear Show. Only instead of crying and whining like many of them, I'd actually embrace what Stacey and Clinton are trying to teach me so I'd come out of the show not only with some great clothes but with the tools for shopping in the future. A whole week in New York away from the kids would be a nice fringe benefit too!

I'm sure there are a lot of moms out there who look great without spending a ton. They are probably the kind of moms that spent money on nice clothes before they had kids. Me. I've always been somewhat overweight (up and down over the years) and let's face it, chubby people just don't spent as much money on clothes. We're always hoping to lose weight so why waste money on an outfit that will soon be too big. Yeah, I've been telling myself that for the last 10 years. I go up, I go down, but I mostly stay the same. Course, I've had three children in the last 4 years. Thats not easy on the body either. Not only that, living where I do, there just aren't a whole lot of options. I'm pretty much stuck with the major department stores and everybody knows their chubby clothes suck. The "Above Average" (nice euphemism that, why don't they just call it like it is I'd shop a store called Fat Chicks, wouldn't you?) anyways, the other stores are usually high priced and I have the choice between dressing old ladyish, who wears mumus really, and dressing like a wannabe young professional. Neither of which suits my current lifestyle. Why can't they make nice dresses for chubby people? Why the big prints? I feel fat enough already, why would I want to wear a puky brown dress with giant paisly pink and purple amoebas all over it?

I digress. I complain. I whine. Still it feels good. I'm frustrated and sometimes a little depressed. I really would like to look like one of those put together moms. I'd like to look hot and have people envying my husband instead of wondering why he married me. I never want my kids to be embarrassed of their mother. There is no happy ending to this diatribe. No moral to the story. I want all those things and don't see any way of getting it. There just isn't money for those kinds of things and won't be for a long time. I will have to satisfy myself with the 2 t-shirts for $20.00 deal.

To Post or Not To Post

Originally posted on April 10, 2008. It's hard to believe that it's been over a year. I guess I hung in there.

I have a feeling that these blogs are going to be completely boring. I mean not much really happens in the life of a stay-at-home mom who works nights. Okay, does that really count as being a stay at home mom? I don't know but it should. I spend the entire day with my children and only miss their last 2 hours of the day before their bedtime. That's pretty much a fulltime mom in my books. Anyways, other than writing about what the latest thing my 2 year old flushed in the toilet or who embarrassed the shit out of me at the department store, life is pretty predictable. Raising children is not rocket science nor is it all that entertaining. How many times can YOU laugh over some cute thing someone else's kid said?

That really reinforces my theory that "real" reality t.v. would be completely boring. Who really wants to sit and watch me as I type my blog, cook dinner, wipe my kid's snotty nose. Eww gross did I really pick my underwear out of my butt on t.v.? Even my fav Kat & Jon plus 8, they don't sit and film them every day. They pick out events in their lives, going to the July 4th parade, going to the dentist, pumpkin farm etc... If they filmed Kate dealing with the kids everyday all day and then Jon coming home at night, do you think as many people would watch it? I sincerely doubt it.

Maybe if my day was creatively edited, like when I had to pick my two year old's poop off the floor because it was dropping out everywhere like rabbit turds and I had no time to run for kleenex because I was trying to make sure my 11 month old didn't touch it or even worse eat it. That would be kinda funny. (Did I mention that I also happened to step on one before I noticed what had happened YUM) At least it was to my husband when I told him about it later. Or when my 4 year old (then 18 months) some how found poster paint and painted herself, the carpet and left a lovely little handprint on the back of the door. I knew she'd been too damn quiet. To this day, I have no idea how she found the paint. Fortunately she was naked and I can still picture her cute little tummy covered in purple and brown paint. The funniest part was probably me. I was hysterical. I was literally freaking out because of the carpet. We'd just moved in and my in-laws lived downstairs and I could just imagine what they would say when they found out I "let" this happen.

So yeah, a few events in my life could possibly be entertaining enough for t.v. but I rather doubt it. Most of our personal life events are only entertaining to ourselves.

However, I do have to say though people today seem to have an almost unhealthy need to spy on other people's lives. Is it envy or just a need to escape our own boring lives?

When I first started this blog I had all sorts of rants I wanted to post but once I've thought them out and then actually get a chance to post it, I seem to lose it. So in the end, I'm not sure how long I will carry on posting. It would be nice to think some one else is interested in what I have to say but I doubt it.

10th Anniversary and Re-Runs

It's our 10th wedding anniversary tomorrow. I know we took a mini holiday back in February but as we can't afford to do much this year and we have some travel points on our card, we've decided to ship the kids off to the grandparents and spend the night at a nice hotel.

You can tell how far we have come and that we have children when there is nothing more that we'd rather do than hole up in our hotel room with take out. Because of the points, we decided to splurge a little with a better room and then close the doors to the world. For at least one night anyways.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed. In my mind, this is a pretty big event and was hoping to do some kind of party or trip etc. But alas, recession being what it is there is just not the money to put on a party. I won't even get my 10th anniversary ring that goes with my set. Sigh. I know, not a big deal, when there are so many others out there worse off than us. But still, this is not where I pictured us 10 years ago, finanacially that is.

So... I won't be posting. We are also showing the house tomorrow at noon so I have to clean and get the kids ready to go. O is staying home with upstairs Nana and the girls are going to faraway Nana. So I would have been cleaning in any event because you know.. my MIL is coming... down. *LOL*

So I thought I'd go back and pull some of my older posts and post them as way back then I had no followers and not a single commenter (poor me).

I'll be back some time Saturday. Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday - Boys are Maternal Too!

Would you believe he wore that for almost an hour?

Recipe Tuesday - Birthday Party

This week is not so much about a recipe as it is about sharing with you the cake that I did for my daugther's birthday. Technically her birthday is later on this month but with school vacation out we figured we'd strike while everyone is still home and get the party done.

K has been working over time like crazy so I didn't really have time to plan out the party the way that I wanted to. Plus there is also the little matter of budget. I simply could not igore that. I spent a lot of time at the dollar store trying to figure out the cheapest way to make party favours and decorations.

As E had invited boys to her party I pretty much figured the whole princess, girly theme was out this year. (sigh) So instead I opted for pretty floral paper plates and cups which had the added bonus of being about a 1/3 of the cost of a Disney themed plates etc.

Plus I had the "birthday box" to draw on. What? Don't have a birthday box? This is something that would make Sandy of Organize with Sandy proud. A few years ago I didn't know what to do with all the left over birthday napkins and party decor items etc so I grabbed a clear box with wheels and started storing everything birthday or party related in it. So there is no hunting up banners, balloons, streamers etc. They are all in one place. Of course, if you're like me and love to shop and are swayed from year to year with different themes you will have multiple table cloths, napkins, left over cups, forks etc.

I say, why not mix it up. Who says it has to be strictly Barbie, or strictly Disney Princess. Why not a little Strawberry Shortcake thrown in for good measure. Let's face it, we are really the only ones concered about "matching". It's not like the children care at all. Have you seen the outfits they've put together? Exactly.

Anyways.

When I was a little girl, my mom used to make me this doll cake that I absolutely loved. She has since passed on the cake pans to me and while I've wanted to jump in and bake my kid's cakes, I have primarily given in and gotten the fancy store bought themed cake. This year, however, in the interests of more frugalness, I brought out the box of cake pans and found the mold. I may be a novice in the cake decorating arena, I'm missing almost all of my tips (thank you children) and am down to one pastry bag but I think I did a fair job. Not to mention it was so stinking hot in the house that the icing wanted to stay runny. Yeah her skirt is a little crooked but that is not as noticeable when you're not zoomed in on it with a camera.

E was excited to see the cake but somewhat disappointed that she didn't get the doll to play with. I wanted to put a regular Barbie type doll in there but those dolls are too tall for the cake. The doll that goes in it has no legs. The other thing was that I was kind of hoping to make it look like Cinderella with a blue and white dress etc but because the doll obviously didn't look like Cinderella and I had put the cake on a pretty yellow and green vined plate that amazingly enough matched the paper plates I had bought, I thought I'd go for a yellow dress with green trim.

Kid note. The funny thing was because the base was a little uneven I iced the under part of the skirt white and added coconut for the underskirt in the front. I think it added depth to the skirt. Well, turns out 99% of all children do not like coconut on their cake. So all those that got it didn't even eat the icing. Go figure. Kids that don't eat icing.

The other shocking kid note. Not all kids like fruit. Okay, I'm spoiled. My children adore fruit in all shapes, forms and sizes. They can't get enough of it. If they ask for a candy and you say no, but you can have fruit, they say, "okay" and they are happy. (Yes you can envy me *L*)

I was trying to have healthy options. So I bought baked pretzels, did up my own fruit tray and besides cake the only real "junky" item was the Bugles. What was the first thing to get emptied out? The Bugles. Oh and the strawberries. I guess 99% of all kids LOVE strawberries.

Alnother kid note. Kids are wasteful. GASP. I know you're shocked, right?

Seriously my kids do waste food too, I am not completely naive or biased towards my own children. I SAID not completely. But not one of them would think of tossing their cupcakes on the ground just because they didn't feel like eating them. I must have picked up like 6 mini cupcakes. One little girl dumped the remains of the Bugle bowl onto her plate, carried it out in the yard and then left it there for the rest of the day. No one else got any more Bugles and for the really picky kid, that was all he'd eat. I hated to toss them away. I wanted them. I hadn't had lunch but there was no way I was picking food off of some strange kid's plate. I mean desperate I am not.

To my recently enforced frugal mind, I could not help mourn those lost cupcakes and tossed fruit. I knew my own kids would have enjoyed snacking on them tomorrow. OMG I am turning into a Cheap Charlie or worse yet.... My Parents!

For party favours, as this was a backyard water fun theme I gave each child a plastic bucket and shovel, with the usual candy and goodies

inside. Although these children were perhaps a little more fortunate in that their friends mom and dad (I'm talking about K&me) had stores with products that had been sitting there for some time because each girl got a complete pack of Hannah Montana pencil crayons and the boys got these real cool spiderman action figures. Items, which normally would not be purchased for party favours but were doable for us because we'd already paid for it through our businesses and we couldn't seem to sell at all.

All in all the kids had fun. The highlight? Water Balloons. We filled up a box and because the day was a little overcast were thinking we'd get the kids to do something a little more sedate and less wet like water balloon lawn bowling. um that lasted for 10 seconds before they were all tossing and chasing each other with the balloons. Not one kid complained about getting wet and all the boys, amazingly, stopped chasing whatever girl that said no to being doused. What little gentlemen. They had so much fun that K and I had to scramble to fill up another box. Unless you've done it, you have no idea how time consuming it is to fill those little buggers up.

So even though I was a little sad that I couldn't plan things out better for my girl and the dollar store didn't have the sea themed items I would have liked to have used, the party was fun and E has no clue how it could have been. In the end nothing really compares to having just good ol fashioned plain fun.

I Love My Garden

Well, it's not really just my garden. My father in law is the one who is chiefly responsible for all things growing in our garden this year. He faithfully tends the flowers, sows the seeds, prunes the fruit trees, saves the fruit from the birds with nets and so on. He is the one we all go to when we want to know what we should do with a plant, which is a weed to pull, what fertilizer to use etc. I am a very spoilt woman. I don't have to worry that I've forgotten to fertilize, water, trim, weed, plant. Because he always and he never puts off what needs to be done now.

The fruit trees were already planted when we purchased the house as was the strawberry patch. For the past three years we have enjoyed an abundance in strawberries. I have made strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie and strawberry jam and, of course, just plain old sliced strawberries, any kids' favourite. I just love creating dishes with food that came from our garden and know that nothing is on those berries that I don't know about. This year our fruit trees (peaches, apples and pears) are finally producing more abundantly so I have lots of planning to do for those. It's great that we share the crop with my in laws otherwise it would be absolutely overwhelming dealing with all of it and seeing that none goes to waste.

In our vegetable garden we have peas, carrots, corn, tomatoes, beets (yuck), beans, cucumbers, and of course potatoes. Those are an absolute must. My FIL is an absolute potato fiend. He loves potatoes so much that he takes pride and no small amount of pleasure in showing you particularly large sized potatoes that he has grown. He has even been known on occasion to take a picture of one. I'm not joking!

Normally we have beans growing like crazy as well but he didn't put any in because don't you know our house was supposed to have been SOLD by now. Darn house. So no beans. That's okay. I only like beans so much and they grow so abundantly that you literally have to eat great heaping bowlfuls every day just to use them up. Something he may not mind but I definitely don't like eating the same vegetable every day.

This year we have sunflowers. They were a surprise. That is one thing I love about gardening, you never know what's going to show up. Last year we had strange varieties of squash which makes sense because we all occasionally have eaten squash and composted said remains etc. But the sunflowers, well they are a complete surprise. Some bird flying over must have dropped those seeds into our garden for us to discover. Under my FIL's care those Sunflowers are growing big and strong. Last time I tried to grow sunflowers, they lasted a month then I over watered them or something cause they all wilted and died.

Then there are the raspberries. Our neighbour has a raspberry bush growing along side our shared fence line. Well some of those vines were growing under our side of the fence. My FIL knows I love raspberries so he transplanted a couple into our garden so I'd have my own raspberry bush to take along with us when we move. He did that last year and this year the bush has grown so amazingly big that I will have to cut it back just to be able to move it. Note this is taking up precious garden space.

So today, we ate cherries from our cherry tree, raspberries from our raspberry bush and strawberries from our strawberry patch.

We don't live on a big piece of property, this is a small .19 acre lot. We've given up a good stretch of our back yard to this garden but not only does it feed this family it gives great delight and joy to the man who works it.

So I will say it again I am a spoiled woman. I have all the benefits of a garden without the hassle of caring for it because let's face it with 3 small children, I'd be lucky to get the strawberries picked never mind fertilized.

I am going to miss him when we do finally move. I am sure I won't realize just how much until I'm planting that garden on my own.

I love my garden and I love my father in law.

Bringing Nature to Our Back Yard

For the first time we set up a hummingbird feeder off our deck. We were very surprised when we saw our first hummingbird arrive not a day later. These are such amazing creatures. My children were quickly excited and I am afraid their excitement startled the hummingbirds and so they flew away

We have since moved the feeder a little farther away from the house in a shady spot in the hopes that the humming birds will feel safer. Now when the children see the hummingbirds come to feed they stop their play and just watch. They are fascinated by these birds and ask us probably about 100 questions to which we don’t know the answers. Thank goodness for the Internet.

For instance: Did you know that hummingbirds are migratory? You’re saying, well, they are birds; of course they are migratory. Okay, so I haven't really thought about it before because not only are they migratory but they winter in Mexico. That may be nothing to those of you who live from the Midwest to the East coast but I live on the most western part of British Columbia and those little birds fly all the way to Mexico for the winter. Apparently they even fly from as far as Alaska. Those teeny little birds have the stamina to go that far. I also learned that the hummingbirds in our area are called the "Black Chinned Hummingbird".

The other amazing thing is that all you have to do to attract humming birds is to hang a feeder and put food in it. I'd really recommend it. The food isn't expensive, just a little sugar and some water. Hummingbird feeders come in all shapes and sizes and all prices.

It’s the simplest thing in the world to do to bring a little nature in your back yard.

For more information check out the Bird-Library

hummingbird feeders

It's Like Magic. Take 3 Cranky Kids....

Take 3 cranky kids, fill one pool and you've got a recipe for a peaceful afternoon. It's absolutely amazing how one small thing can change the course of the day.

I had been trying to get some things done around the house. The kids were constantly in and out the door. If Papa came down and was in the yard, well they were happy as flies on poop to follow him around "helping" him garden. The minute he went back upstairs they were in... bored. Now they weren't complaining they were bored but I assume that they had reached this heady state because instead of actually going and playing with a toy, E proceeded to get down on all fours and bark/growl/squeal/scream at J & O while they ran away from her shrieking.

I know I have 3 kids. I know children can be loud but this kind of noise drives me crazy to the point where I can't even think to myself. Not to mention someone usually ends up hurt when they start these kinds of games and it's inevitable that whining is soon to follow.

So I'm thinking it's a warm day, better fill up the wading pool. So I go outside, they don't even notice I'm gone, and fill up the pool. Then I notice that our castle slide is about the same height as the wading pool, I drag it over so that if they go down the slide then they land smack in the middle of the pool. Cool thinking mom.

Sure enough the minute they see what I've done I've got three naked kids standing in my living room waiting to get suited up and bursting with energy to try the wet slide. I actually managed to capture it on video.

They stayed outside ALL DAY. They ate their lunch at the picnic table and didn't even have to come in to wash their hands because I took an plastic bucket outside with warm soapy water for them to wash up in. Then it was back to playing in the pool.

The funny thing is J doesn't like to get that wet. She's very cautious and approaches the water very tentatively but I let her take bath time Dora outside and that was enough to get her interested in the pool. E took out her waterbaby and O not to be outdone by his sisters had to have a little hard plastic baby to toss down the slide too. It was very cute.

O came in for his nap, I changed the pool water and the girls stayed outside and played, played, played, played. There was next to no arguing, no "MOOMMMMMYYYYY (insert child's name) is bugging me." Nothing. I was able to get my notes done, purchase E's birthday present online, do up my grocery list and fold clothes all while keeping a watchful eye on them, of course.

Lately the only other time I've achieved this almost Zen like peace is when I'm filling them with food. Which, of course, only lasts while their mouths are full and their tummies are empty.

But will it work tomorrow?

I am a Crow

Not so long ago.. okay who I am kidding it was quite some time ago exactly how long I will not get into.... when I too wanted to be a princess and dreamed of glass slippers, pretty dresses, fancy balls and prince charming. Let's face it Prince Charming was at the end of the list. Like all girly girls, I was more concerned in what I was wearing than who I may potentially be marrying.

Having two girly girls the princess tradition continues. I love to help them adorn their finery, hunt up their scarves, matching shoes and pretty bows for their hair. I have attempted countless princess hair dos only saved by the fact that everything is beautiful in their little eyes. Some times they would let me play. Okay.. sometimes they would beg and plead and whine until I gave in and played.

Me, however, I have turned from the once beloved, dare I say beautiful, princess to being the villain. My descent it was true was gradual. It started first with being the wicked, but beautiful, stepmother while E traipsed about in her Cinderella rags refusing (that's my girl) to clean the house.

Then after Barbie Diamond Castle, I became the evil, yet startlingly beautiful purple and green dragon who was intent on chasing down and capturing my two beauties. O got to be a baby dragon.

My villainous career has reached it's peak yesterday when E oh so carelessly with a stroke of her invisible fairy wand changed my role from evil fairy to crow. A small black crow with a vicious beak that wants to eat the fairies and butterflies. Fortunately I have bad aim and so far my kill record is Nil. Sigh.

It's an odd thought that we as moms may just have reached the pinnacle of fantasy land and have been replaced by our own fairy princess daughters. Their dreams, their inspirations become ours as we supervise their growth through these magical years.

Yet, is it silly of me to long for those pretty sparkly, pink things? There is still a little part of me that wishes I could still pull on that frou frou princess dress and wave my princess wand. Instead, I am a crow.

Wordless Wednesday - Yumalicious